The optimization of software applications operating on a multitasking operating system (OS) or on an embedded system utilizing a multitasking OS has required the evaluation of the performance of the system on the basis of a plurality of pieces of data using an evaluation tool such as task transition diagrams, and the use of the knowhow of the system designer or the like. Consequently, there has been a problem wherein when a system is to be optimized taking into consideration, for example, idle time in which no task is in an execution state, the execution times of tasks, and the like, the optimization operation has to be performed manually by the system designer using the knowhow of the designer.
As a conventional technique relating to the improvement of the performance of multitasking systems, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 4-367035, “REAL TIME PROCESSOR FOR PLURAL TASKS” discloses a real-time processing apparatus that rearranges the priority of particular tasks when predetermined conditions are met, and optimizes the conditions for the rearrangement of priority in response to the usage environment by using a learning function.
Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 7-287693, “DATA PROCESSOR” discloses a data processing apparatus such as a POS server that permits real-time confirmation of the operating ratios of many data processing units such as those in multitasking configurations.
Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 9-179754, “TASK MONITORING DEVICE AND ITS METHOD” discloses a task monitoring apparatus and a task monitoring method for enabling tasks to recognize their own stop time so that the stop state of the tasks can be understood visually and an automatic recovering process will be executed in response to a delay in executing a task.
Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 10-240578, “MULTI-TASK PROCESSOR, MULTI-TASK PROCESSING METHOD, AND MULTI-TASK PROCESSING DISPLAY METHOD” discloses a technique by which users can understand the operations of multitasking/object-oriented programs so that the operation efficiency of debugging and testing by the users can be improved.
Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2003-345868, “APPARATUS, METHOD AND PROGRAM FOR RESOURCE MANAGEMENT” discloses a technique of allowing the displaying of not only the time required by tasks but also the processing status of resources including the efficiency of the resource use, the ability of processing such as the work rate, and the loads on resources.
Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2004-54396, “RESOURCE MANAGEMENT APPARATUS, RESOURCE MANAGEMENT METHOD, RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, AND RECORDING MEDIUM” discloses a technique of displaying the time required by tasks, the efficiency of the resource use, the work rate, and the processing state of the resources, and of performing uniform management of the processing amount of a plurality of tasks, the processing rate, etc.
Even if the conventional techniques disclosed in the above documents are used, the problem cannot be solved that the operation of optimizing an embedded system utilizing, for example, a multitasking OS requires knowhow or manual labor. Even when optimization at a micro level such as the level of functions in tasks or at a loop level is performed, the problem cannot be solved that the optimization of the entire system requires knowhow and manual labor.